In order to increase the efficiency of a refrigeration system by recovering heat rejected by the refrigeration system combined refrigeration and heating systems are provided in which the heat generated by the refrigeration system is not rejected as waste heat to the environment but delivered to a heating system to be used for heating a building and/or service water etc.
At high ambient temperatures, e.g. during summer, only a comparatively low heating capacity is needed. As a result, a situation may occur in which not enough heat is consumed by the heating system in order to sufficiently cool the refrigerant circulating within the refrigeration system. In order to handle this situation, a gas cooler is activated for further cooling down the refrigerant. However, when the gas cooler is active, approximately ⅓ of the heat cannot be used but is rejected as waste heat to the environment.
It therefore would be beneficial to provide an improved refrigeration and heating system and a method of operating such a system allowing to use the heat generated by the refrigeration system more efficiently even at relatively high ambient temperatures.